MANSFIELD — Between 30 and 40 women and girls come to Mansfield each June to showcase their talents, community service and goals to become Miss Ohio.
Grace Riegel, Abigail Kern and Kendall Windsor may have shorter travel times than their peers, but they have each worked hard to compete for state titles in their hometown.
Riegel is a Miss Ohio contestant while Kern and Windsor are Teen contestants. All three newcomers to the Miss Ohio stage.
Grace Riegel
Riegel, an Air National Guard staff sergeant stationed at the 179th Cyberspace Wing, is a Lexington High School alumna.
She was previously Miss Lexington and Miss Teen Blueberry and currently Miss Rock & Roll City.
“When I was Miss Lexington, a community service initiative wasn’t required, but I took the opportunity I had and ran with it,” she said. “I actually started my platform ‘Spelling out Dyslexia’ then and started taking it to my peers and educators in Lexington’s district.”
The 23-year-old was diagnosed with dyslexia when she was in third grade. Her Community Service Initiative (CSI) “Spelling Out Dyslexia: Shattering myths and misconceptions” aims to educate students about learning disabilities and “let them know that there’s no disability that can hold them back.”
Riegel said she wants to take her CSI to school administrators and teachers to share what resources and strategies helped her overcome her challenges as a student.
“Looking back on all the things that I accomplished despite being a really bad speller — and now having a career in creative writing — it’s been a 180-degree turnaround,” she said.
“I was outgoing and never felt any inhibitions about speaking up for what I needed, but I know a lot of students feel very isolated when they’re in that situation.”
Riegel said she always wanted to compete in Miss Ohio but first wanted to acclimate to her responsibilities in the military.
“The first year that I was eligible for the competition when I was 18, I ended up enlisting,” she said.
“I had this idea of what an enlisted woman looked like, which really wasn’t true. Being in the military only gave me more experiences to discover who I am.”
Riegel is a public affairs specialist with tasks including photography, videography, journalism and social media. She is currently enrolled in the Community College of the Air Force studying broadcast journalism communications and plans to put any scholarships she earns through the pageant toward a bachelor’s degree.
Riegel is using her acting background for her competition talent, titled HER Story.
“I wrote a monologue displaying my story from insecure student to empowered journalist,” Riegel said. “I felt like my talent being about my own personal story was a really natural thing and I’m excited about it.
“It means everything to me to compete in my hometown because I really love this community.”
Riegel is involved in Richland Young Professionals and is a Renaissance Theatre and Mansfield Playhouse sponsor. She has been a wardrobe volunteer for the Miss Ohio program in previous years.
“My goal is authenticity — I think it’s so easy to get into a performance mode when you’re doing something like this,” she said. “I’m very excited to bring Grace Riegel back to the stage and I want to stay transparent and very authentic.”
Abigail Kern
The 2022-23 Miss Ontario said she had never thought of competing in a pageant before Miss Ontario.
“I saw a flier at school and saw you could win scholarships, so that was enticing,” she said. “I also love serving my community and I think the Miss Ohio program will help me do that even more.”
Kern attended Mansfield Spanish Immersion School and said her favorite community service project is the Mansfield City Schools Christmas program buying presents for students in the district.
She is currently Miss Western Reserve’s Teen. The position is part of the Miss North Coast team with Miss North Coast Caroline Trennepohl and sister queen Miss North Coast’s Teen Monica Hemmelgarn.
“I love them both so much,” Kern said. “We housed Caroline last year when she was competing. I asked my mom if we could be a host home last year when I started thinking about entering the Miss Ohio competition.”
The 17-year-old will be a senior at Ontario High School. She plans to attend The Ohio State University Mansfield and main campuses to study child life services and psychology.
“I just love talking to people and I love helping kids,” Kern said. “When I was in the hospital, there were child life specialists who would come in and bring me goodies, and I want to do for other kids what they did for me.”
Kern has hyperalgesia nerve pain and said visiting multiple doctors and fighting her illness inspired her CSI “Lend a hand and be a friend.”
“Being in the hospital made me realize how lucky I am to have people in my life who support me and how important that is for other kids too,” she said.
Kern is a “high school big” with Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring and said she wants to bring those ideas to other students her age and younger.
“You can definitely tell who has a bunch of friends and who doesn’t have a lot,” Kern said. “I never want anyone sitting by themselves at the lunch table.
“It’s really about being there for someone who’s in need, being your friend’s cheerleader. Making sure no one’s alone in their own little corner.”
Kern is playing a piano medley of Rachel Platten songs for her talent in Miss Ohio’s Teen.
“I picked ‘Better Place’ and ‘Fight Song’ because I’m in a better place for fighting through my illness,” she said.
Kern started piano lessons when she was in first grade. She is also a member of the Ontario High School drill team and cheer squad.
“My goal for Miss Ohio’s Teen is just to help my community and tap into that opportunity no matter what happens,” Kern said. “I’m just grateful that I pushed myself to do something new. It’s been a great experience no matter what.”
Kendall Windsor
Windsor, 18, is a 2024 graduate of Clear Fork High School. She will study sports management at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus starting in August.
Windsor is Miss Chillicothe’s Teen and will take the Miss Ohio’s Teen stage on June 12.
“One of my best friends, Bailey Schomaker, competed a few years ago, and watching her was really inspiring,” she said. “I grew up in competitive dance so I’ve always loved performing and trying new things.”
Windsor started dancing in kindergarten and joined the cheerleading team in high school. She also competed in track and soccer — which she will play for Ohio Dominican University.
“I’m really excited to play soccer in college and I love sports, so studying sports management sounds really exciting,” she said.
Windsor is a member of Future Farmers of America and has raised rabbits for the Richland County Fair. This year, she is also raising goats.
Her CSI is “Planting the Seed of Agriculture in Our Youth,” which she said aims to teach children about farming and how food is grown.
“A lot of kids don’t know how agriculture works and where food comes from,” she said. “I was talking to someone who didn’t know what the FFA was, and they were my age.
“I want to educate kids in particular how hard farmers work to raise their animals and feed other people.”
Windsor is planning a jazz dance for her talent in Miss Ohio’s Teen.
“I feel like jazz is the most entertaining and it reflects my personality,” she said.
“My goal is to have fun and make memories. I know it’s a competition, but it’s also for making memories and making friends. Any scholarships I can get will be really helpful too.”
This year’s Miss Ohio features 12 Teen contestants and 27 Miss contestants. Miss Ohio’s Teen will be crowned Wednesday night, while the Miss Ohio competition will be spread out over preliminary nights Wednesday and Thursday and finals on June 15.
The Miss contestants are separated into a “Scarlet” and “Grey” flight and rotate talent and on-stage conversation with health and fitness and evening gown. Riegel is on the “Scarlet” flight, so she will showcase her talent and on-stage conversation on Thursday and health and fitness and evening gown Friday.
The Miss Ohio Parade on June 9 is open to the public. It begins at 2 p.m. at the Requel Church on Marion Avenue and ends at the Richland Carrousel.
Tickets for the competition can be purchased at rentickets.org.